AGRICULTURE IN MASSACHUSETTS. 



197 



of their premiums. But the misforlime is, 

 that thsso niU's are iniiKJrfectly or not at all 

 complictl with. The returns made to this ot- 

 fice, with some exceptions, are deficient iu 

 accurate details of the modes of cultivation, 

 of keeping stock, of expenses, and of oliier 

 important incidents. These details would 

 acquaint farmers and others with tiie precise 

 manner in which the valuahlo residts record- 

 ed can be again obtained, and would furnish 

 the means by which a gi-cater or more gen- 

 eral progress would be made in practical 

 Agriculture. 



The coure adopted by our Societies is, in 

 the first place, to publish a list of premiums 

 for excellence in certain agricullunl and me- 

 chanical productions. Committees are then 

 appointed to decide upon the claims of com- 

 petitors. Their awards are made and sanc- 

 tioned by the Societies, and the names of the 

 successful claimants of premiums are pub- 

 lished in the newspapers. In some cases, 

 the wiitten stjiteinents requircxl by the So- 

 cieties from the clannants, accompany the 

 Reports of the Committees ; but more fre- 

 quently there are none made, and the Reports 

 are meager from the deficiency of materials 

 from whicli to prepare them. It seems im- 

 portant, as well for the interests of the Socie- 

 ties as lor the full accomplishment of the 

 good re.sults contemplated by the Act of 1845, 

 that all our Agi-icultural Societies should not 

 only estiiblish rules requiring these state- 

 ments, but should enjoin and requii-e a rigid 

 adherence to the rules, as a necessaiy condi- 

 tion of awarding their premiimis. By pur- 

 suing this course from year to year, our fann- 

 ers would soon acquire habits of accurate ob- 

 servation and exact I'ecording of processes 

 and results. P'rom the documents thus pro- 

 duced, the whole agricultui'al community 

 would learn what is most valuable in forming 

 and jnost worthy of imit<ition ; and would 

 leani, too, how to imitate it. Fanners would 

 thus be the teachers and the tjiught. Through- 

 out the Connnonwcalth, they would (Ijrm a 

 class for muUial imi)rovement. They would 

 not and could not complain of such instructors 

 as mere book-fanners, but would strive them- 

 selves so to excel, that their own coiuse of 



husbandry should be submitted in print to 

 the imitation of others. 



Another source of valuable infonnation for 

 the ]>ageB of the finnual volume, is suppliecE 

 by the public Addresses usually delivered on 

 tiie days of holding the exhibitions of the Sck 

 cieties. These Addresses are generally ]>re" 

 pared with care by competent individuals ; 

 and, besides aiding the cause of Agriculturer 

 bv impressing on the farmers assembled frora 

 different parts of the same county, the inj 

 portance and dignity of their calling, usually 

 convey a large jimount of sound and judicious 

 hints as to the practical details of the pursuit. 

 Those Addresses ai'c frequently given to iba 

 puljlic througii the pre.ss — a practit;e which 

 doubtless exerts a wholesome influence in 

 causing them to be prepared not merely for 

 rhetorical eflfect, but for profitable peioisal ia 

 print. ***** 



In the prejiaration of the volume, as a first 

 experiment in this Commonwealth, it was 

 thought judicious to study brcN-ity ; aud a 

 leading principle in making selections was toi 

 present whatever was peculiar to any So- 

 ciety, so as to afford a variety of infonnation 

 to the reader, aud extend the knowledge of 

 local experiments. On the other hand, in 

 some particulars, it is meager ti-om want of 

 materials. It might have been ad\;uitage- 

 ously enlarged, if all the returns luul been 

 equally rich iu their specimens of reports of 

 Connnittees, and of statements of successfhi 

 competitors for premiums. 



In the pi'eparation of the Abstract, I bav« 

 availed myself of the well known judgmeut 

 and talent of Hon. Allen W. Dodge, an ex- 

 perienced fanner of Hamilton, iu the county 

 of Essex. ***** 



Li the return of the Massachusetts Society 

 the statement of its recent valuable impoi-ta- 

 tion of foreign stock is not accompanied by 

 any description of the animals. Believing^ 

 that the sul)ject would attract the particuliU" 

 attention of fanners, I have placed in thw 

 Appendix a full description, which appeared 

 in the columns of the " New-England Farmer."" 

 after the bulk of the volume had been prhited. 



J. G. P. : 



Secretary's OJice, March 17, 1846. 



We shall avail ourselves of these abstracts, for practical uses, when room and 

 occasion present themselves. A willing spirit and a clear perception are visible 

 m the combined brevity and lucidness of this Preface to the first performance of 

 Mr. Palfrey, the accomplished Secretary of the Cornrnonwealth, under the acl 

 of the Legislature which devolves on him the duty of making tliese abstracts. 



A READY RULE FOR FARMERS.— We have been frequently asked to ex- 

 plain the difference between the price of wheat per quarter and per barrel. The 

 simple rule by which every man can ascertain this for himself is this : Multiply 

 the price per quarter by 7, and divide by 12 ; the result will give the amount per 

 barrel. Thus, 56s. per quarter multiplied by 7, and divided by 12, gives 32s. Sd, 

 per barrel. 



(437) 



